Road Trip Advice & Suggestions - Pyrenees to Murcia & Benidorm

[Mosel Bikes]

I've just been looking at your destination. I know Murcia city a bit having stayed there a few nights on business. It's OK but nothing special. However Cartagena is apparently amazing - I think WIBO knows it?

Likewise we drove up fro Murcia back to the Pyrenees with ballot last year, having picked him up from his foster home in Ronda. Obviously we wanted to get that journey over and done with and I don't remember much of it, only that Requena is a dump - we stayed there - and the road up to Teruel from Utiel is fabulous - ben mentioned before here I think.

But I spent several days riding amazing roads in and around the Parque Natural de las Sierras de Segura Cazorla y Las Villas which is stunning with very varied scenery in a small area - my favourite. I stayed at a camping outside Riopar, which was a nice 'genuine' little town but not calendar girl, but the little town of Siles was much prettier.

There doesn't seem to be much accommodation in Siles itself - which is strange! - but lots of availability in the area. One warning, the villages along the A-319 that runs through the 'Cazorla' region are very 'touristy'. It's new the source of the Guadalquivir and is a very popular region for Spanish tourists - Franco used to stay there lots, the joke goes that the forest rangers used to hide in the forest when the old git was hunting, always ready to drop a dead animal more or less in the direction that Franco shot at ...

Going home I'm thinking about working your way a bit further west, roughly through Cuenca, Soria and Logroño. This takes you to the western end of the Pyrenees.

Regs

Simon

Thanks again Simon - that all seems right up my street, particularly Riopar, Siles and the parks.

[Mosel Bikes]

Still very much enjoying the research and planning.
In the spirit of keeping an open mind - and having looked at ferry/distance/fuel/accommodation costs to get there + having 'done' France many times, just started wondering about flying Newcastle to Alicante (around £70 return, good flight times) and hiring a bike when I arrive.
Anyone (Simon? Wibo? others?) who can suggest possible bike hire companies relatively close by? Don't mind taking a bus or train to somewhere to collect so doesn't have to be at/by the airport. Ideally, a small to medium dual sport (all I'd need really, as I'm not in a hurry).
As I say, just keeping options open and would mean more time in actual Spain. Will still consider the routes and places already suggested but opens up more possibilities and other (maybe further South too?) opportunities.
Simon - don't you have a place you rent out or something? Seem to recall you did that?
As if I take the option of flight/hire I'd probably be less likely to camp - but could always buy some cheap gear for camping when I collect the bike of course.
Thanks for all help and advice so far.

[WIBO]

I trip to a nearest Decathlon will indeed get you cheap basic kit in a cheap ruck sack to attach to a moto.

Sometimes sitting down with a calulator can tell you which direction to take in the way of planning. I don't know of any rental companies but shouldn't be too hard to find.

I enjoy winging it frequently over into Spain......I've covered a lot of kms there.......back street hotels can be very smart and inexpensive at the same time.

Anything else by all means just ask.

Above all, enjoy your ride !!


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